TOPIC:

I now have a question about switching BACK to an airbox, FROM pods. My 82 LTD1000 came w pods, and a Kerker 4-1 exhaust. It seems to run mostly fine, maybe a little rich. (I just changed the plug wires and it seems to have woken up a bit..., so maybe I'm not so rich- haven't looked at the plugs yet. Tailpipe gets sooty.)
If I go back to an airbox w/ a lid and all, will I be too rich? p.o. claimed a dynajet kit was put in the carbs and I have no reason to doubt it b/c the bike really seems to be running well. I'm getting about 35mpg,, it pulls strong smoothly and cruises w/o surging at all rpms...
I've already ordered an airbox off of an online auction site, and am about to buy the rubber boots from z-1. I'm worried that I'll need to re jet the carbs back to stockish and not sure what my gains will be. I'd like even better fuel economy if that were possible, and I want the bike to run correctly if it's not already. The rubber boots going to the airbox look like velocity stacks to me, and everything I've read about airboxes vs pods has me convinced, but I wonder if I'm not trying to fix what ain't broke. Thoughts?

Put the Airbox on and try it. You will probably be rich but better rich that lean. Open the float bowls up and see what you have in there for jets. A carb tuning manual will help but you probably will be one size up from stock on the main and stock or one size up on the slow jet. Your jet needle has 5 clip positions that influence the very earliest throttle opening working to lean and richer the slow jet. If it blubbers it is rich and if it seems to run out of gas when opening the throttle it is lean.

From your description, I think you answered your own question..If it ain't broke don't fix it.... Pods work fine if you take the time to dial the carburetion in, Sounds like the P.O. may have done that..........

Pods do work fine for WFO throttle settings but a stock airbox will give you best all around performance. You can install a K&N filter in the airbox if you want a bit more flow. I dont use my bike much over 1/2 throttle so the stock airbox is the way I go. Much better idling with the airbox.

All I can say is if I didn't spend more than half my time well past 1/2 throttle I'd give up riding bikes

You are dealing with two stages here.
1. The headers require a larger pilot jet and main jet. The needle and nossels may have been changed as well. Most guys don't go that far. Check that.
2. For the pods, the same is true.
I suggest you look up the stock settings for your area. In the desert or low alttitudes, more fuel. My bike boggs wnen I visit my daughter in the high desert.
If your pipes are sootey, it's too rich and you may be washing out your rings. That's not good. Start from stock, then jet up. You can pick up jets locally or jetsrus is a good place to find them. One thing at a time.

Another handy thing to do is keep a record of the jet changes you make and the way it affects the performance at different throttle settings. If you end up making a lot of changes you can go back to your notes and maybe figure it out better. Remember, you can change the pilot jet rich/leaner by raising and lowering the jet needle.
It might take quite a few test runs and a half a dozen carb on/ off jobs to get it right but think about how much money you are saving with dealer labour rates at over $100 an hour.

Good advice. When I was wrenching, most of the time it was undoing what the owner did. I'm sure yo all have seen this sign.
Shop rates $65/hr
If you watch $75/hr
If you help $85/hr
If you worked on it first $100/hr
That was back in the 80's. I didn't really charge that but it stopped the dumb questions most of the time.
I did enjoy the smiles when I fired up the bike and asked, "Is this what you wanted?."
Check your plugs
Wait ten seconds before adjusting the screws each time
Don't hop around.
Keep records.
Do your home work.
Oh, check your plugs at idle.
Get to 1/2 throttle, hit the kill switch, coast to a stop, check the plug.
Get to 70 or so, check the plug again.
Checking the plug under load is the only way to get a true reading.
You don't have to check them all each time, maybe one side each time.
Good luck

Another handy trick is to mark the throttle grip with masking tape to know exactly how much you are opening the throttle. Is is hard to tell sometimes when you are riding.

Your right. These are text book procedures. One thing at a time.

Tripleted wrote: Another handy trick is to mark the throttle grip with masking tape to know exactly how much you are opening the throttle. Is is hard to tell sometimes when you are riding.

+1 on marking the grips. I make a mark on the bars I can see while riding. I then mark closed, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and WOT. This helps me determine what I need to adjust per the Service Manual.

Riding around in 2 nd gear will do that.